Viking Voices Read Free Page A

those clubs crushing skulls and the cries and shrieks of our dying men but are powerless to influence the horror unfolding before our eyes. In just seconds the whole line has disappeared.
    Ragnald, normally the first to attack, shows his pragmatic side, decides we must pull back and already has a number of boats in the water to allow our escape. We can see his distinctive red and gold boar’s head banner among the boats, so that is the point to rally on. It is already too late for many of our comrades and withdrawing under this kind of attack is more immediately dangerous than standing to fight. None can turn their back on their foe without being cut down and so must retreat facing them with their shields up and their weapons flailing in order to defend themselves.
    A few do turn to run in a disorderly panic, and some do get away to the boats this way. They make it even more difficult for the rest of us to fight our way back, and they are breaking their warrior vows to defend their comrades. This will not be forgotten after the battle is over.
    Others who turn to run receive more immediate punishment for their cowardice, as the Irskrs strike at the back of their unprotected calves, slicing into the muscles or breaking their legs and bringing them down unable to regain their feet. Anyone falling in this situation is completely vulnerable and immediately falls into the hands of their enemy and therefore has only seconds to live. There are very many casualties on both sides but we are definitely taking the greater losses now because we are retreating under pressure.
    We pull right back to the river bank and once there we receive some momentary relief, those already on the boats are hurling spears over our heads, and for a few minutes the attackers hold back, startled by this new barrage. We only need a few minutes and are already bounding through the shallow water and hurling ourselves over the sides of the drakken boats, the long narrow boats we use for raiding. We can each only look after ourselves now, no time to look after anyone else. We must all get onboard as best we can since this is the most dangerous phase of the whole battle for all of us. Many do get on the boats, but some fall in the shallow water where they must recover quickly or fall prey to the Irskrs.
    We scramble as hard as we can, and once in the boat we each take an oar and as soon as there are thirty men sitting in position onboard we pull away, though a few more desperate men are clambering over the side even while we are moving off. We are pulling as hard as we can, as though we are rowing for our very lives, which of course, we are! Thank goodness the ebb tide is still flowing and helping us, although it is just a little slower than before. As we are in the hands of a skilled helmsman we are soon moving quickly and consistently towards the open sea, and soon the kick of the first waves hits us.
    Once on the water and away from land we are out of immediate danger. So after the terrible ordeal we are beyond the reach of our enemies. I have survived my first battle but I have lost everything that I and my family ever owned, including our home and our home land! As yet I have no news of any of my family, but I know that all of them are at great risk, and Kjartan is surely lost.
    As we move out of the river and into the bay I can see there are many other boats around us that pitch and sway under the impact of the increasing waves as we move into open sea. The murky brown water is swirling and turbulent, lots of white caps on the many waves around us, yet I am hardly even aware of the movement of the boat, and the consequent discomfort. I need to keep rowing, partly to keep the boat moving and partly to numb my mind. I have great troubles to occupy my thoughts, but I want to shut them out if I can. I can see yet more boats both ahead and behind us, in a steady stream moving from the defeated fortress mostly going towards Dalkey Island.
    Most people seem to